Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,024 per month in Nis vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,524 per month in Nis vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,024 per month in Nis vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Nis is about 19% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Nis and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Nis 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.62 RSD 771

$11.87 MX$204

-35.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.33 RSD 2,966

$42.90 MX$736

-31.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 RSD 983

$10.65 MX$183

-8.73%

Cappuccino

$2.00 RSD 202

$3.45 MX$59.2

-42.03%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 RSD 192

$1.50 MX$25.81

26.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 RSD 129

$0.95 MX$16.28

33.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 RSD 253

$3.03 MX$51.9

-17.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 RSD 300

$4.61 MX$79.1

-35.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RSD 136

$1.38 MX$23.61

-2.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 RSD 71.5

$1.85 MX$31.70

-61.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 RSD 187

$1.61 MX$27.65

14.91%

Eggs

$2.48 RSD 251

$2.59 MX$44.51

-4.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 RSD 791

$8.26 MX$142

-5.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 RSD 682

$8.37 MX$144

-19.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 RSD 1,196

$10.66 MX$183

10.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 RSD 116

$2.63 MX$45.12

-56.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 RSD 175

$1.49 MX$25.53

16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 RSD 152

$1.92 MX$32.94

-21.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 RSD 180

$2.09 MX$35.81

-14.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 RSD 109

$1.86 MX$31.88

-41.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 RSD 111

$2.26 MX$38.81

-51.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 RSD 55.8

$1.06 MX$18.23

-48.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 RSD 61.8

$1.09 MX$18.67

-44.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 RSD 424

$4.15 MX$71.2

0.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.53 RSD 660

$10.39 MX$178

-37.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RSD 71.7

$1.72 MX$29.59

-58.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 RSD 206

$2.61 MX$44.85

-21.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 RSD 75.9

$0.54 MX$9.30

38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.24 RSD 2,654

$26.94 MX$462

-2.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 RSD 148

$3.13 MX$53.7

-53.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 RSD 42.88

$2.51 MX$43.09

-83.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 RSD 696

$3.15 MX$54.1

118.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 RSD 178

$1.27 MX$21.88

38.58%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

2.13%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.4K RSD 2.8M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

16.11%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$142 RSD 14.3K

$83.0 MX$1,425

70.63%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.69 RSD 1,688

$22.71 MX$390

-26.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.77 RSD 2,303

$29.46 MX$506

-22.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.32 RSD 2,966

$51.0 MX$875

-42.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 RSD 1,955

$18.33 MX$315

5.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 RSD 513

$4.93 MX$84.5

2.84%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$234 RSD 23.7K

$197 MX$3,386

18.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 RSD 520.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-2.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 RSD 8,978

$36.90 MX$633

140.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.06 RSD 4,759

$39.89 MX$685

17.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 RSD 9,422

$80.0 MX$1,373

16.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 RSD 10.4K

$89.5 MX$1,536

15.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 RSD 41.4K

$956 MX$16.4K

-57.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 RSD 28.7K

$477 MX$8,189

-40.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 RSD 56.0K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-66.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 RSD 41.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-66.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,597 RSD 262.7K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-33.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 RSD 193.2K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-70.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$890 RSD 90.0K

$667 MX$11.4K

33.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

11.42

-34.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Nis: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $409 in Nis versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 33% higher in Nis, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Nis versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $250 – making Nis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Nis vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 24% more than Nis, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,535 per month in Nis and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,024 in Nis and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Nis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nis, where all-in costs run around $1,024, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Nis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nis costs $1,024 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.